Batteries
Thanks to its reticulated structure, open porosity and high conductivity, the copper foam can be used as support and current collector of negative electrodes in alkaline and lithium batteries.

Metals recovery by electrolysis
The recovery of metals from diluted solutions (typically effluents from electroplating), is made efficiently by electrolysis with cathodes made of metallic foams. Depending on the cell design, the solution can flow through the foam for a better efficiency (1).

Thermal exchange
A copper foam with a density of 0.5 g.cm-3 and pore size around 0.6 mm, has a thermal conductivity of 4 Wm-1K-1.
When combined with a metallic plate by welding, they form an efficient thermal exchanger for liquid/liquid or gas/liquid (2).

Electromagnetic shielding
With a density which is 16 times less, copper foam reduces the electric field from 10 Hz, and the magnetic field from 1MHz, in the same proportions than a full plate of copper. This characteristic is of interest for making shielded structures lighter.

Catalyst support
Copper foams, which have a high specific surface area (up to 10,000 m2.m-3), combined with a high thermal conductivity, are the structures of choice for endothermic catalytic reactions. They are also an appropriate solution in a chemical reactor to ensure mixing, reaction and thermal transfer (3), (4).

Bibliography :
(1) US patent 4.834.850
(2) “Open celled material structural properties measurement: from morphology to transport properties”, F. Topin & al, Material Transaction, Vol 47, N° 9, p. 2195-2202, 2006
(3) “Development of New Cu0–ZnII/Al2O3 Catalyst Supported on Copper Metallic Foam for the Production of Hydrogen by Methanol Steam Reforming”, S. Catillon & al, Topics in Catalysis Volume 30-31, Number 1 / July 2004
(4) “Etude expérimentale du micro-mélange dans un échangeur-réacteur à mousses métalliques”, S. Ferrouillat & al, Congrès français de thermique SFT 2003 Grenoble, 3-6 juin 2003